Apparatus for controlling heating systems



Feb. 2, 1943. w. M. MULOCK 2,309,915

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING HEATING SYSTEMS Filed July '9, 1941 a She ets-Sheet 1 Feb. 2, 1943. w M, MUL OCK 7 2,309,915

' APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING HEATING SYSTEMS Filed July 9, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2.

ET .3- 2a INVENTOR.

Feb. 2,-1943. w MULQCK 2,309,915

APPARATUS FOR CON TROLLING HEATING SYSTEMS Filed July 9, 1941 a Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Feb. 2, 1943 U TED S'l eras-r APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING HEATING SYSTEMS 3 Claims.

"This invention relates to apparatus for controlling the operation of heating systems and it has for its object to provide an apparatus of this class which will automatically control and operate a heating system so as to maintain its heating capacity approximately uniform, or at least within predetermined limits.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a control apparatus of the character described which can be adjusted or set to automatically maintain the heating system in operation with more or less heating capacity as may be required or necessary in connection with the service to be performed by the same.

To these ends I have provided an improved control apparatus of the character described which, in its preferred form, may be constructed and operate as set forth in the following description, the several novel features of the invention being separately pointed out and defined in the claims at the close of the description.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating one form of my invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the time switch hereinafter referred to.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the time switch shown in Fig. 2.

Figures 4 and 5 are details relating to the time switch.

Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 show the four switch-operating wheels of the minute hand shaft hereinafter referred to.

Figures 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 show the five switch-operating wheels of the hour hand shaft hereinafter referred to.

The illustrated embodiment of my invention comprises a multiple circuit-operating switch mechanism or unit A, (Fig. 1) including an actuating motor H]; a burner B by which steam is generated within the boiler (not shown) of the heating system and whose motor circuit is operated by switch mechanism A; an electrically operated master time-switch mechanism C for periodically closing a burner-starting circuit of motor I0, said time-switch mechanism including a relay comprising a pivotally supported contact member I cooperating with a fixed contact bar l2 and also including a magnet D that is energized to open the above mentioned burner-starting circuit of 7 ated periodically by motor IE! which, in turn, is continually operated periodically by the timeswitch C acting through the elements I 2, and each time said motor is operated a shaft I3 constituting a part of mechanism A is rotated to the extent of about 180.

The armature shaft of motor it) carries a worm M in engagement with a worm wheel l5 fast on shaft l3. On shaft l3 are secured approximately semicircular segments l6, l1, I8 and IQ of insulating material each of which carries upon its periphery a metallic shoe which serves as a bridging contact cooperating with a pair of fixed contacts as shown.

Shaft |3 also carries a radial arm 25 whose outer end is adapted to cooperate with a pair of stationarily supported spring contacts 2| and 22, the former being longer than the latter and having its free end portion disposed in the path of the outer end of arm so that when said arm rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow said arm first engages contact 2| thereby closing a circuit through magnet D and immediately thereafter bends contact 2| into engagement with contact 22 thereby closing parallel circuits through the two magnets 23 and 24 of wheeladvancing relays E.

The circuit of magnet D is as follows: From a battery 25 through a wire 26 to arm 20, contact 2|, a wire 21, magnet D and thence through a wire 28 back to battery 25.

The circuit of magnet 23 is as follows: From battery 25 through wire 25 to arm 20 and thence through contacts 2| and 22, a wire 29, magnet 23, and wires and 28 back to battery 5. The opposite ends of the winding of magnet 24 are connected, respectively, with the wires 29 and 30 as shown in Fig. 1 so that said magnets are energized and de-energized simultaneously.

The metal shod segments |6, I8 and |9 cooperate, respectively, with the pairs of fixed spring contacts 3|32, 3334, 35-45 and 3'|38.

The switch F (Fig. 1) comprises a body of nonconducting material formed with a hollow base 39 which provides a chamber for holding a body of mercury 4|], the top of said chamber being made with a port connected by a conduit 4| with a riser 42 of a steam heating system, said riser connecting the boiler (not shown) of the system with the usual radiators or the like.

The top wall of base '39 is made with a vertical transparent tube 43 provided interiorly with a longitudinal series of uniformly spaced apart contacts a, b, c, etc., connected by wires a, b, c,

etc., with a series of contacts a b etc., fixedly mounted upon a panel of non-conducting material 43. Pivotally mounted at 44 upon panel 43 is a contact arm 45 adapted, when swung on its pivot, to traverse and individually engage contacts a b 0 etc.

Within the base 39 of switch F is a fixed contact it which is always submerged within the body of mercury 48 and this contact is connected by a wire 41 with a line wire 48 of a current supplying circuit whereof the other line wire is shown at 49.

The pivoted arm 45 is connected by a wire 59 with the contact 35 of switch mechanism A while the complementary contact 36 of that pair is connected by a wire with one terminal of motor ill. The other terminal of this motor is connected by a wire 52 with the line wire 49.

It will be clear that the pressure within the riser 42 is always imposed upon the top of the body of mercury 43 within base 39 and that when the heating system is in use this pressure will force a column of mercury upwardly within the tube 43', the height of said column varying directly with variations in said pressure.

The contacts a, b, c, etc., may be arranged and relatively spaced so that one-half pound pressure will". raise the column of mercury into engagement with contact a; one pound pressure will raise it into engagement with the next contact b; one and one-half pound pressure will raise it into engagement with contact 0, and so on throughout the series of contacts.

\Vhen in operation the apparatus functions automatically to maintain a predetermined pressure within the heating system and this pressure is determined by the setting of the adjustable arm 45. As shown in 1 said arm is set for a pressure of about one: pound since it rests; on. contact 6 that is connected by'wire b" with con.- tact b of switch F.

As illustrated in Fig; l the burner-stopping circu-it of motor [0, when closed at both switches- A and F, is as follows: Wires 49 and 52, motor in, wire 51, contact 36, segment [8, contact 35, wire 50, arm 45, wire 22', mercury 40, wire 41 and wire 48. g

The burner-starting circuit of motor I0 includes contacts 3| and 3 2', segment I6 a wire 53 connecting contact 32 with wire 5|, a wire 54 connecting contact 3| with contact arm ll, bar contact l2, and a wire 55 connecting bar [2 with line wire 4-8.

The time switch 0 comprises an electrically operated clock work mechanism 56 of ordinary construction except that its hour hand and minute hand shafts are extended outside of the usual housing as shown at 51 and 58, respectively, (Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5). In practice I have used the clock mechanism 56 of an ordinary electric clock.

One terminal of this motor mechanism 56 is connected by a wire 59 with the contact 33 whose complementary terminal 34 is connected by a wire 66 with line wire 49'. The other terminal of mechanism 56 is connected by a wire 6| with the other line wire 48.

To the outer end of the minute shaft 58 is coupled one end of a wheel-carrying shaft 62, said end being rotatably supported by and withinthe tubular hour shaft 5''! of mechanism 56, while the opposite end of said shaft 62 is rotatably supported within a bearing provided on a frame 63.

Rotatably mounted upon shaft 62 is a second tubular wheel-carrying shaft 64' whereof one end is coupled to the outer end of the tubular hour shaft ill of mechanism A.

The joint connecting shafts El and 6 3 provides for limited rotative movement of the latter relatively to the former. So also, the joint connecting shaft 58 with shaft 62 provides for limited rotative movement of the latter relatively to the former.

Shaft 62 has fixed on it a ratchet wheel 65 and a plurality of contact-operating wheels I, 2, 3 and 4, while shaft 64 has fixed on it a ratchet wheel 56 and a plurality of contact-operating wheels 5, t, l, 8 and 9.

The contact arm I l, hereinabove referred to, is pivotaliy and slidably mounted upon a rod 61 supported at its opposite ends by the frame 63 so that its axis is parallel with the axes of shafts 62 and 6 Thus it is possible to manually adjust arm ii lengthwise on rod 6'! so as to place it in position to cooperate with either of the contactoperating wheels referred to above, said arm ll being provided with an elongate armature 68' which always occupies a position opposite the polepiece or core of magnet D and which yieldingly holds said arm in engagement with the periphery of the wheel with which it is positioned to cooperate.

The contact bar i2 with which arm ll cooperates is fixed to a bar 69 of non-conducting material which is fastened at its opposite ends 'to frame 63, while the magnet D is fastened to a cross-bar F6 forming part of frame 63.

The wheels I, 2, 3 and 4 are made, respectively, with two, three, four and six peripheral notches as shown in Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive, while the wheels 5, 6, I, 8 and 9 are made, respectively, with four, six, eight, twelve and eighteen peripheral notches. The notches of each wheel of both sets are equidistantly spaced circumferentially and the number of notches in each wheel equally divides the number of minutes required for each revolution of its shaft, shaft 62 making one revolution in sixty minutes and shaft 64 making one revolution in seven hundred and twenty minutes.

As shown in Fig. 4 the outer end of shaft 5'! is made with a lug H occupying a socket 12 provided upon the proximate end of shaft 64, the circumferential width of lug "H being less than that of socket 12 in order to provide the limited lost motion connection referred to above.

As shown in Fig. 5 the outer end of shaft 58 is made with a lug E3 loosely occupying a socket 14 provided upon the proximate end of shaft 62 so as to provide the limited lost motion connection referred to above.

The frame 63 is provided with a base 74 upon which the electric clock mechanism or motor 56 and also the relays E are mounted, one of said relays occupying a position to cooperate with ratchet wheel 65 and the other occupying a position to cooperate with ratchet wheel 66.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the magnets 23 and 24 of the relays are rigidly fastened to base 14 and each is provided with an armature 15 pivotally mounted at 15 on a bracket secured to said base, said armature being yieldingly supported against a stop 1! by a spring 13. Pivotally mounted upon the free end of each armature 15 is a pawl 19 whose upper free end is yieldingly held against its ratchet wheel 65, or 66, by a spring 80.

When segment I S (Fig. 1) is in engagement with contacts 3'! and 38 the circuit of burner 13 is completed and this circuit includes a wire 8| connecting one terminal of the burner with line wire 49; a wire 82 connecting the other terminal of the burner with contact 38; segment 39; contact 37, and a wire 83 to the other line wire 48.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings the burner-stopping circuit of motor I ii is partially closed by the mercury column at contact b and in part by arm 35 at contact b but is open at the contacts 35-33. Therefore, since contact arm I I is at this moment supported in an elevated position by wheelZ of the shaft 62, the burner-starting circuit of motor II] is also open at contacts ll-l2 and consequently motor I is at rest even though said burner-starting circuit is closed at 3l-32. In Fig. 1 the circuit of clock mechanism 56 is completed at contacts 33-34 and therefore the shaft 32 and its wheels (including wheel 2). are turning in the direction of the arrow at the rate of one revolution per hour while the shaft 64 and its wheels are turning in the same direction at the rate of one revolution every twelve hours. Burner B is idle or out of action because its circuit is open at 31-38. a

The wheel 2 (Figs. 1 and 7) is made with three peripheral notches and therefore the time distance between one notch and the following notch is twenty minutes. It follows that for a period of twenty minutes while notch 2 (Fig. 1) is moving toward arm II the burner B will remain out of action and during this time the mercury column may remain in engagement with contact b or it may fall below said contact.

Assuming that the mercury column remains in engagement with contact I), then when notch 2 registers with the end of arm [I the latter will fall into said notch thereby completing the burner-starting circuit at II-I2 since this circuit is already closed at 3I-32. The motor In will therefore be operated to impart one-half revolution to shaft I3 which opens said burnerstarting circuit at 3I-32, opens the circuit of clock mechanism 56 at 33-34, closes the burnerstopping circuit at 35-35, and closes the circuit of burner B at 31-38.

During this 180 step movement of shaft I3 the arm 28 first engages contact 2| thereby momentarily energizing magnet D to move arm ll out of the notch 2 of wheel 2 and out of engagement with contact l2, and immediately thereafter said arm 2%! bends contact 2| into engagement with contact 22 to momentarily energize the magnets of relays E, one of which acts through its pawl and the ratchet wheel 65 to advance wheel 2 on shaft 62 far enough to carry its notch 2 out of register with the end of arm II. Since, under the assumed conditions, the burner-stopping circuit is already closed at b and b, the engagement of segment I8 with contacts 35-36 completes said burner-stopping circuit of motor Ill with the result that the motion of shaft I3 is immediately continued to the extent of a second half revolution which restores the parts to the positions shown in Fig. 1 with the exception that notch 2 will be occupying the position of notch 2 in said Fig. 1.

During the next twenty minutes the apparatus will remain quiescent with the burner idle except for the operation of mechanism 56 and the rotation of wheels 2 and 65 in the direction of the arrow and until notch 2 registers with the end of arm I! whereupon the described operations will be repeated if the mercury column has not fallen below contact b.

Assuming that the mercury column of switch F has fallen below the contact 1) when notch 2 registers with arm I I, then the movement of said arm into notch-2 will close the burner-starting circuit of motor ID at I I-I2 and said motor'will operate as before to rotate shaft I3 to the extent of one-half revolution and the latter will act as before to energize magnet D and relays E; to open the burner-starting circuit at contacts 3I-32'; to open the circuit of clock mechanism 56 at 33-34; to close the burner-stopping cir cuit at 35-36 but this time without effect because said circuit is already open at contact b of switch F, and to close the circuit of burner B thereby causing the latter to operate.

Burner B will continue operating with clock mechanism and motor Ill at rest until it has raised the pressure within the system to a point where the mercury column of switch F again engages contact I) which completes the burnerstopping circuit for the reason that said circuit is at this time also closed at the contacts 35-33 by segment I8. When said circuit is thus completed the motor I0 imparts another halfrevolution to shaft I 3 which restores the apparatus to the condition shown in Fig. 1 with motor in and burner B at rest and clock mechanism 55 operating to rotate the wheels of its shafts.

It will be observed that while the clock mechanism is operating the burner is at rest and that the length of its period of restis automatically determined and controlled by the clock mechanism. Also that while the burner is operating the clock mechanism is at rest and that if the pressure within the system is low the operation of the burner will continue without material interruption until it has raised the pressure within the system to a predetermined point whereupon it is automatically stopped and the clock mechani m is automatically started.

It is also to be noted that when motor I0 is operated by the clock mechanism acting through the burner-starting circuit to start the burner at a time when the desired predetermined rela tively high pressure exists within the system, then the accompanying completion of the burner-stopping circuit at 35-35 will have the effect of continuing the operation of motor IE! to the extent of another half-revolution of shaft I3 which immediately restores the parts to the positions shown in Fig. 1 with the burner at rest.

Inasmuch as the clock mechanism is stopped each time a notch of the wheel 2 arrives at arm II and remains at rest until the burner is stopped, it will be clear that each period of rest of the burner will be maintained for the full period of twenty minutes. It will also be clear that the short advancing step movement of wheel 2 effected by relay E prevents contact II from occupying one of the notches of wheel 2 when the parts of unit A are automatically returned to the positons shown in Fig. 1.

It is desirable that the length of each period of rest of the burner may be varied or adjusted so that it can be made of a length that is appropriate to the prevailing weather condition or the service to be performed by the heating system. It is for this reason that I have provided a plurality of notched wheels as described and also provided for adjustment of arm II longitudinally on its pivot bar 61 (Figs. 2 and 3) so that it can be positioned'thereon to cooperate with either wheel to the exclusion of the others.

Wheels I, 2, 3 and 4 of shaft 62 which makes one revolution per hour, are made, respectively, with two, three, four and six notches. When cooperating with arm ll wheel I provides periods of rest of burner B of thirty minutes each; wheel 2' provides periods, of rest of twenty minutes each; wheel 3 provides periods of rest of fifteen minutes each, and wheel- 4 provides periods of rest of ten minutes each. Wheels 5, 6, l, 8 and EM shaft 64 which makes one revolution every twelve hours, are made, respectively, with four, six, eight, twelve and eighteen notches. When cooperating with arm I l wheel 5 provides periods of rest of burner B of three hours each; wheel 6 provides periods of rest of two hours each; wheel I periods of rest of one and one-half hours each; wheel 8' periods of rest of one hour each, and wheel 9 periods of rest of forty minutes each.

It will thus be apparent that by selectively utilizing the wheels I to 9 inclusive in connection with the contact arm H the length of each period. of rest of the burner may be increased or shortened according to the adjustment of contact arm I! on its pivot rod 61 and in this way the operation of the apparatus may be rendered appropriate to prevailing weather or the demands upon the heating system, said adjustment being made to increase the length of each period of rest during relatively warm weather and to shorten said periods of rest during relatively cold weather.

The limited lost motion provided between shafts 5'! and 64 and also between shafts 58 and 62 provides for a short advancing step movement of the notched wheel that is in use by one or the other of the relays E so that when, immediately after said step movement, the magnet D is d'e-energized the contact arm II will fall on to the periphery of the wheel and thus be prevented from falling back into the notch from which it has just been withdrawn. In this connection it will be noted that no time is lost through this advancing step movement of the wheel for the reason that upon the subsequent starting of the clock mechanism 56 the lost motion will be taken up before the wheel is started upon its next burner-timing movement.

The clockwork mechanism 56 is constructed as usual with a finger-operated member 80 by means of which the hour shaft 51 and the minute shaft, 58 are manually adjusted? rotatively whenv necessary.

What I claim is:

1'. Ina. heating system, in combination, an electrically operated multiple burner-controlling, switch, unit including a plurality of simultaneously operated make-and-break switches and an operating motor; a burner-starting circuit, for said motor including one of the switches of said unit; an independently operated normally open switch in said starting circuit; a wheel for periodically closing said normally open switch; electrically operated mechanism for rotating said wheel at a predetermined speed; a. circuit for said wheel-rotating mechanism including anotherone of the switchesof said unit which is opened to stop said mechanism when said unit is adjusted through operation ofsaid starting circuit and motor by said normally open switch; a burnerstopping circuit for said motor including another one of the switches of said unit which is closed when said unit is adjusted through operation of said starting circuit. and motor, and a second switch in said burner-stopping circuit which is opened and closed through variations of a condition of the heated medium within the system thereby automatically to control the length of time the burner of the system continues in operation after each burner-starting adjustment of said unit.

2. In a heating system, the combination of claim 11 wherein said last-mentioned element is a pressurestat switch.

3., In a heating system, the combination of claim 1 wherein said normally open switch of the starting circuit comprises a movable switch element co-operating with a switch-closing notch provided upon the periphery of said wheel, and whereinmeans is provided through which said unit acts to slightly advance said wheel rotatively independently of said wheel-rotating mechanism immediately after each operation of said starting circuit thereby to shift said notch away from said element.

WILSON M. MULOCK. 

